An unexpected trip to the ER...

This is a discussion on An unexpected trip to the ER... within the Concealed Carry Issues & Discussions forums, part of the Defensive Carry Discussions category; Last Tuesday, I found myself in the Emergency Room, wretching and doubled over with chest pain. I had no time to disarm, and frankly, I ...

An unexpected trip to the ER...

Last Tuesday, I found myself in the Emergency Room, wretching and doubled over with chest pain. I had no time to disarm, and frankly, I had other things on my mind. I was carrying IWB. No one noticed. They determined that I was dealing with an acute gallstone attack, and gave me some wonderful drugs. I went to sleep. Sometime later, an RPD officer woke me and said, "Sir, is this your gun?" I said it was, and that I had a CCW. He looked at my ID and permit, nodded, and said, "I will secure this in the Security Office for you. You can pick it up when you are discharged. I'm leaving a receipt with your things." I think I responded, but all I know for sure is that I lost consciousness, again.

Anyway, it was locked in a locker in the Security Office, and waiting for me when I went to collect it. No one batted an eye. I was pleased with the way the situation was handled. No cause for panic or alarm. Everyone was polite and professional. After I passed out, they were getting me ready for x-rays, when they found my pistol. They called security, which contacted an RPD officer who happened to be at the ER, and he spoke with me, cleared the weapon, and collected my pistol and magazines for safekeeping.

Initially, I was incapacitated by the pain. Later, I was incapacitated by drugs before I had time to think about it. This is something to think about and prepare for. We've had several questions about what happens when you receive emergency medical care. I thought you might be interested to hear what actually happened, in this case.

End result: I took my pistol home on Wednesday, and returned Thursday morning to have my gallbladder removed. I returned to work, this afternoon.

Good deal i know theres no carry in our hosipitals here but i would think in a deal like that they would be cool .. what could they say if amublance brought you in out cold it was your fault you were packing and broke the rules ?

Glad the officer handled it so well and that you are ok and was nothing more than gall bladder painful and sucks to have it removed yes btu better than heart attack

Good deal i know theres no carry in our hosipitals here but i would think in a deal like that they would be cool .. what could they say if amublance brought you in out cold it was your fault you were packing and broke the rules ?

If you are unresponsive and EMS brings you in, either:

1. They will have found the gun long before they get to the ER, or
2. They are doing a very poor job.

There is no way to miss a firearm on a properly conducted secondary survey.

...There is no way to miss a firearm on a properly conducted secondary survey.

Matt

Once they ruled out cardiac, the first thing they did was establish an IV to address the pain and nausea - Dilaudid and Phenergan. I was out in seconds. Sometime after that, their survey produced the pistol.

Glad to hear that is behind you Tom - I have heard many a time that the pain is all embracing and all else goes out the window - same for renal calculus...

I've had both. I think the pain of kidney stones is worse, but it is constant and you get used to it. The gallstone pain came in waves, whited everything else out, and there was no way to escape it once I felt it start. At the peak, a wave of nausea would take me. It was excruciating, and I didn't think about anything else, except getting through the wave of pain. That's what bothers me - I'm usually a fairly responsible person, but when I was caught up in that pain, I completely lost any presence of mind about my carry piece.

I work in an ER, and used to work on an ambulance. I won't get into the assessment of your condition, but frankly the firearm should have been discovered earlier, before you were drugged. I can't speak for nurses as individuals, cuz everyone would act differently - usually based on political opinions and personal exposure. We have similar policy in place. call security and let them place it in the safe or call police, depending on the nature of the ER visit. I have had friends come into the ER that I know carry, and have taken care of it for them, to forego the paperwork and hassle.